Hi all, my girlfriend's parents just gave me their old Panasonic 43" projection HDTV. They replaced it because the colors are messed up. There is a yellow tint covering all but the upper right hand corner of the screen (which looks normal). They had someone come out to look at it and he told them the color engine (???) was bad and it would be $900 to replace. They had just replaced the bulb a few months previous and didn't want to spend any more money on it.

Anyway since they were going to just toss it I figured I'd take it and see if I can fix it. I'm comfortable taking apart and fixing electronics though I don't know much about projection TVs. I took several pictures so maybe someone here will know something. I'd be willing to spend a couple hundred to fix it but that's it.

The estimate for a light engine is the best you will get from a servicer. No servicer will tear into the innerds of a light engine because too many things can go wrong at that level. Good luck finding a diagram and part numbers for internal light engine parts...

I was able to find the service manual for the PT-43LC14-K for free. Is there any difference between the PT-43LC14 and PT-43LC14-K?

My understanding is that the "K" manual is more complete than the non-K manual, and assuming your manual is the K web free version, it has the light engine parts that the regular service manual does not have.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shawnmos

Tomwil, are you sure that's the part number for the 43" and not the 60"? The polarizer for the 50" is only $113 so i dunno why this would be more expensive.

If you look at section 17.2 MECHANICAL REPLACEMENT PARTS LIST, you will see that the manual lists two (2) POLARIZER BLUE UNITs. The $113 version is the LSXA0518 made for the PT-60LC14 (see the "C" label and match it up with the table at the top of the page). The models PT-43LC14 and PT-50LC14 use the $200 LSXA0600 (see the "A,B" labels and match it up with the table at the top of the page).

Whether the LSXA0518 can be used in your set is unknown, and might be an expensive mistake if attempted.

Although I have not physically seen a polarizer, I would think that if it is defective it would be discolored. Be aware that there are other polarizers and filters that could be bad also, but it seems the blue polarizer gives the most problems.

That which may be known of God is evident within man, for God has shown it to them, so that they are without excuse. (Romans 1:19-20)

I don't have the parts section of the manual unfortunately so i'll take your word for it. I took the projection unit apart and one of the polarizers is definitely burned. The service manual does say that it's the blue in polarizer although it's not actually blue, it's a reddish pink. I guess that's normal?

I took several more pictures. My camera couldn't get a clear enough picture but there is definitely a fingerprint burned into the polarizer! I don't know if it was there from the factory or if some service person did it, but I believe this is the cause of the failure.

Wow, that thing got TOASTED! Maybe we see the root cause of all the LCOS/SXRD woes?

The service manual for the Sony A3000 (my current weapon of choice) is near useless. No parameter lists, no parts breakdown of the optics block. I mean... come freakin' on, Sony!

By poking around other manuals (their SXRD front-pros) I've noticed that some have a "UV-proof glass" as part of the blue path. Is high UV output from the lamp killing the polarizers? Maybe we can DIY a pre-emptive fix.

Personally, I'd like to retrofit an LED assembly in place of the lamp. More efficient, cool-running... there must be a way...

I put the TV back together and now it keeps telling me to Select language. I press 1 for english and nothing happens. All it'll let me do is turn it on and off. I was able to get into the service mode but I can't do anything useful. The remote is working. WTH did I do?

So I decided to peel off the polarizer film from the glass. It's stuck on there with some heavy adhesive, so I soaked it in goo gone. I was going to try and move the film upward so that more of the transpart portion would be positioned over the LCD.

Anyway it appears the film has 2 layers and I was able to chip off most of the burned top layer. I scraped the rest off with a razor blade, then super glued the polarizer film back on. I kinda damaged it pretty bad with the razor blade so I figured it would look like crap. However I put everything back together and it looks WAY better. It went from unwatchable to bearable. Instead of being mostly yellow, it's now mostly normal with some small yellow blotches on the edges.

I attached some pics so you can tell the difference. (Sonic is actually blue!)

All of this has made me curious to see if I can replace the film for cheap instead of spending $200. I came across this site which sells small amounts of polarizer film for $6.50. The only problem is I don't know which one to get.

Just wanted to mention, that in in this post there is a person who got frustrated with his PT-50LC13 and mentions that he might give it away. Not sure if he is near you, but that TV will have the LSXA0518 filter which might work in your TV.

Please let us know of your continuing adventure!

That which may be known of God is evident within man, for God has shown it to them, so that they are without excuse. (Romans 1:19-20)

My cousin found one of these in the trash demonstrating the same symptoms. It seems that this problem is quite persistent in these models? I too will try to scrape/clean the filter and see if I cannot improve somewhat the color. I do not intend on buying a part to replace, maybe if I can find one in a scrapped unit....

Thanks for posting shawnmos, you saved me a good hour or two of poking around troubleshooting!!

I am having the same issue after my kids unplugged the TV twice in one day. Can someone share the Service Manual for the PT-50LC14? I think a $100 part is way better then spending $1,000+ for a new TV (although I'd love a new TV). Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

Does anyone have a remedy for this? From the light sequence chart kindly posted by Tomwil, my PT-50LC13 apperently turns off because of forced cooling. My TV will produce a normal picture for approx. 30 secs, then turns off. The power button blinks red indefinitely, the lamp blinks every five secs and the front fan runs forever. I had the ballast and lamp replaced two years ago. I have vacuumed out the fan/filter device at the front, just to the right of the lamp hatch. I have ordered the ballast kit and will install the components upon arrival, only because it's an inexpensive option with which many posters on this site have had success. Anyone know of a more specific solution to the forced cooling option?

I will not purchase another Panasonic product again, as my own protest over these wide-spread bad experiences with this dog-turd TV.

I have A Panasonic Pt-50CL14, great to this point, only one bulb replacement in 4 yrs. I just started to see yellow in the bottom left side of the screen. I need a polarizer filter that goes after the blue filter on a Panasonic 3-chip rear projection TV (PT-50LC14). What the H---- is the proper part number for the filter, or the whole filter assembly, with blue filter and polarizer filter in a white plastic holder. Part #LSXA0518 or LSVQ0070.
Will work in these TVs also PT-50LC14.
My polarizer filter is burnt, causing a yellow blob where the filter is burnt.

Shawnmos, please post back if you tried to replace the polarizing film yourself, I was recently given the same model myself by inlaws with the same problem! Your pictures and comments along with info. from Tomwil have been invaluable, I might try this myself, thank you!

Whether the LSXA0518 can be used in your set is unknown, and might be an expensive mistake if attempted.

Been there, done that !

Panasonic only sells the
whole light engine for the PT50LC14. The polarizer unit for PT50LC13 can be
made to fit, with a small modification.
Compare the new polarizer unit to the old polarizer unit it may need some
plastic removed around the screw area (tabs on each side of screw), so the
circuit board will go back in place!

Hello all, new to this site and darn glad i found it. Had this tv for roughly 4 years and i love it. But, I always wondered how long the bulb would last, then the other day the lamp warning came on and thanks to you folks I see the bulb has out lived its estimate, 10,034h and 2,452 LON and still going. This is the kicker, I turned it on today and the HDMI input is black with no sound. It seems the other inputs still work since i can watch tv via a standard cable input, dvd player, etc...Cant be the bulb right? Any ideas out there?